Training Series

Training Series

The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama is pleased to offer a range of training suitable for your business, no matter your needs.

Our in-class sessions offer hands-on seminars in a traditional classroom setting led by experts in their field, while our interactive, instructor-led online Ed2Go courses allow you to set your own schedule and train at your convenience.

View both classroom and online training classes below. Most classes are available to both Chamber members and non-members. If you have questions, please contact Carolyn Tubbs at (205) 391-0556 or carolyn@tuscaloosachamber.com.

In-Class Training

Strategic Communication: Accomplish Your Business's Goals

March 5, 2019

In today’s competitive business environment, effective communication skills are more crucial than ever before. It is the foundation on which successful careers are built and a crucial component of lasting success. Whether it’s a face-to-face conversation or an e-mail exchange, a professional message involves establishing a connection that leaves a positive impression. This workshop will help you develop a truly engaging and responsive communication style, leading to positive results for you and your organization.

Confused about how to deal with tricky Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) issues? Can you communicate with employees who are off on leave? What if they fail to send in paperwork signed by their doctors? What if they say they can’t return to work at the end of their leave? What needs to be in your FMLA policy? Bruce will lead you on series of best practices under the FMLA and offer you practical tips on how to put your organization in the best position it can be in to handle requests for FMLA, have a thoughtful FMLA policy in your handbook, and defend against allegations that you may have denied or “interfered” with an employee’s right to take FMLA leave.

In our litigious society how a business handles employee complaints can be the difference between success and bankruptcy. Understanding the basics of an internal investigation can assist a business with minimizing its legal risks.

Social Media is everywhere today. It can be a boon, or your biggest headache. Learn how, and to what extent, you can control your company's and employee's use of social media in relation to your business. Find out what you can and can not do, and what effect your employees' personal use of social media can have on their employment.

#MeToo – A viral hashtag that has become a rallying point for people denouncing sexual harassment and assault. If you’re wondering what you as an employer need to do to prevent and address sexual harassment at your company, attend this session! Get pointers from lawyers with a combined 29 years of experience in investigating and litigating sexual harassment claims of all kinds!

Get Social with Your Business

April 9, 2019

**Approved for 4 hours Business Related CPE by AL State Board of Public Accountancy and 3.25 PDCs by SHRM

Workshop Overview:

Social media marketing is now a cornerstone of marketing strategy for all types of businesses and organizations. However, it can also be overwhelming and time consuming. Learn how to make social media strategy work best for you and your business by learning the core functions of social media: monitor, amplify, respond and lead. Susan Fant, Instructor of Marketing and Corporate Director of the Masters of Marketing Program at the University of Alabama, will help you develop a strategy that works best for your marketing goals and is conscious of your time and budget. Using a variety of social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, and LinkedIn, you can create an online presence that tells your business's story, finds new customers, and interacts with a targeted audience online. Attendees will create their own Social Media Strategy Blueprint during the workshop and leave with actionable solutions for social media marketing strategy and content development.

What You Will Learn:

Specific social media platforms

To create a social media strategy that works for you

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Pinterest

Snapchat

Linked In

Analyze results of social media blueprints and make adjustments to content

Share results of social media marketing strategy blueprints

Workshop Lead: Ms. Susan Fant

The Customer Is Always Right

May 8, 2019

Successful companies know that creating an excellent customer service culture within the organization is vital for sustainability and growth. “WOW-ing” the customer must be viewed as a way of life within an organization so that excellent customer service is engrained in the mission. From hiring and developing the best team to rewarding excellent service, customer service culture begins with leadership. This workshop will create a positive work environment, decrease turnover and deliver the results of true customer service excellence.

What You Will Learn:

What’s your Customer Service Culture? Identifying what customer service looks like in your organization.

Supervision Part 1 - Essential Skills

June 5, 2019

*Approved for 4 hours Business Related CPE by AL State Board of Public Accountancy and 3.25 PDCs by SHRM

Workshop Overview

Truly, times have changed for those who lead others, yet the solutions in dealing with such changes can be found in the fundamental principles of basic supervision – the roles, skills and functions required of supervisor. This workshop is designed to help individuals build competencies in basic supervision practices. It works to define supervision, explains the competencies required of supervisors, and describes the supervisor’s position from an operational perspective.

What You Will Learn

Define supervision, describe types of supervisors, and explain the supervisor’s position

Discuss supervisory activities, roles, and competencies

Focus on and describe supervisors in their roles of planning, directing, controlling, decision-making, communicating, motivating, staffing, budgeting and evaluating performance of the workforce

Develop a comprehensive skill set as to modern day supervision of others

Prepare for employment in some of today’s hottest careers with a comprehensive, affordable, and self-paced online Career Training Program. You can begin these Programs at any time and learn at your own pace. Upon successful completion of all required coursework, you will receive a Certificate of Completion.